1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light transmission module, and more particularly, to a light transmission module for transmitting a light signal through an optical fiber coupled to a light device and/or receiving a light signal transmitted through the optical fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional light transmission module includes light devices 1, a plurality of optical fibers 3 for transmitting a light signal, an optical connector 5 for supporting the optical fiber 3, and focusing lenses 2 installed between the light device 1 and the optical fiber 3.
The light device 1 is a semiconductor laser array for converting an electrical signal into a light signal. As the semiconductor laser array, an edge emitting laser is generally employed. A light receiving module for receiving the light signal has the same configuration as that of the light transmission module with the exception of a photodetector array for converting the received light signal into an electrical signal being employed as the light device, instead of a laser array.
The light emitted from the light device 1 is focused by the focusing lens 2 and is incident into the optical fiber 3 to then be transmitted. In the light receiving configuration, the light transmitted through the optical fiber 3 is focused by a focusing lens (not shown) provided at a light emission side to then be received in a photodetector (not shown). Instead of the focusing lens 2, a flat-type waveguide (not shown) may be provided between the light device 1 and the optical fiber 3.
An optical connector 5 for supporting the plurality of optical fibers 3 includes a ferrule 6, and a plurality of alignment slots 6a on which the optical fibers are aligned are formed in the ferrule 6. The ferrule 6 is formed of a ceramic substrate. The surface of the ferrule 6 is mechanically fabricated to form the alignment slots 6a on which the optical fibers 3 each having a diameter of 50.about.125 .mu.m are seated.
Since the conventional light transmission module employs the ferrule 6 which is expensive, the fabrication cost is high. Also, it is not easy to align the optical fibers 3 and the light devices 1. Also, since the focusing lenses 2 or a flat-type waveguide are necessary for coupling the light devices 1 and the optical fibers 3, the number of necessary parts increases and the system becomes complex.